Excitement was evident among the members of Nonkqubela Informal Traders Organisation during the graduation ceremony held at Site B Bus Terminus in the area on Wednesday, 15 July. The workshop was conducted by the University of the Western Cape in partnership with the City of Cape Town.
At least 20 informal traders received certificates after completing a three-day workshop.
The workshop started on Tuesday, 7 and concluded on Thursday, 9 July.
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Chair says workshop was an eye-opener on workers’ rights
Nonkqubela Informal Traders chair Mzuvukile Skeyi described the workshop as an eye-opener. He said it was focused on educating them about their rights as workers.
“It was so informative. We were educated about how to negotiate for our businesses, how to handle discussions, and what to expect as an outcome,” said Skeyi. He confessed that most of them do not know their rights or how to represent themselves.
He urged other informal traders to take part in such initiatives.
Street vendors contribute to GDP but struggle with City governance
Women in Informal Employment: Globalising and Organising (WIEGO) senior researcher Marlese von Broembsen said street vendors contribute enormously to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). She said they face challenges with the City’s governance..
“They struggle with infrastructure, officers, evictions, and their goods being taken away. The streets are also a workplace, and the City needs to engage with informal traders. We need a good relationship between the City and street vendors,” said Von Broembsen. She urged them to work as a collective.
City commits to supporting and growing the informal trade sector
The City’s assistant professional officer at Area Economic Development, Sibusiso Makhubu, said their mandate is to serve the interests of traders and improve the informal trade sector.
“We provide training for them to be able to grow and sustain their businesses so they can employ other people. We also build infrastructure to improve their businesses and have introduced a trading plan which allows us to regulate and manage informal trading,” said Makhubu.
